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Pence really researched overturning the election — and almost did it: report

Vice President Mike Pence dashed the hopes of Donald Trump supporters, and enraged the president, by announcing he had no constitutional authority to overturn the results of the presidential election during the congressional certification — a fringe legal theory that had been Trump's final hope to stop President-elect Joe Biden from taking office.

But according to The New York Times, this decision didn't come easily. Pence in fact ordered several lawyers to research whether it was possible — and strongly considered doing it before becoming convinced it was illegal.

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White House fears Republicans are finally ready to 'tear the band-aid off' and remove Trump: Acosta

On CNN Tuesday, chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta said that Trump's circle is beginning to fear that the GOP is finally ready to be done with him.

"Vice President Pence has just fired off a letter to the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, informing her he does not support invoking the 25th Amendment and does not believe it's in the best interest of the nation or Constitution," said Acosta. "So the next step is impeachment, and Democrats are poised to impeach the president of the United States for the second time, only this time around there are going to be republicans getting on board. Most notably today, the House Republican from Wyoming, Liz Cheney, the daughter of the former vice president."

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Republicans want Trump to resign — but fear telling him to would only make him more obstinate: John Dean

On Tuesday's edition of CNN's "OutFront," former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean suggested Republicans want President Donald Trump to resign from office — but fear asking him to do so would foreclose the possibility of him doing so.

"The New York Times is reporting House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has asked others whether he should call on Trump to resign," said anchor Erin Burnett. "He's been a loyal Trump lieutenant ... how would such a thing play out now, John?"

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Republicans attack Capitol Police for requiring metal detectors to enter the building after insurrection

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), who was shot by a man in Virginia in 2017 now thinks that sending officials through metal detectors is hindering their ability to do their jobs.

According to CNN's Manu Raju, Scalise complained openly that the long line of members that had to be scanned made things "untenable" because it "impedes the ability of members to come and vote. This is our job."

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Pence refuses to invoke the 25th Amendment: It would set a 'terrible precedent'

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Tuesday, outgoing Vice President Mike Pence said he would not remove President Donald Trump via the 25th Amendment — the mechanism that allows the vice president and cabinet to transfer powers away from an incapacitated president.

"I do not believe such a course of action is in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution," said Pence. "Last week, I did not yield to pressure to exert power beyond my constitutional authority to determine the outcome of the election, and I will not now yield to efforts in the House of Representatives to play political games at a time so serious in the life of our nation."

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Rudy Giuliani's honorary degree revoked as college condemns his role in Capitol invasion

On Tuesday, CNN reported that Middlebury College, a liberal arts institution in Vermont, is rescinding Rudy Giuliani's honorary degree, which they awarded him in 2005.

College president Laurie Patton said the decision was made in light of Giuliani's involvement "in fomenting the violent uprising" at the U.S. Capitol last week.

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Authorities release image of man wanted for killing of Capitol Police officer

On Tuesday, WUSA9 reported that authorities have released images of the man wanted for the killing of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick during the pro-Trump riots that invaded the Capitol.

The suspect, a bearded man wearing a backpack and a Chicago Fire Department cap, was also caught on video hurling a fire extinguisher at the line of police. Sicknick was reported as having died from injuries sustained after being struck in the head with a fire extinguisher.

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Conservative hammers Rick Scott for trying to disenfranchise voters while claiming 'unity'

The newly anointed chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee is already having problems trying to come up with talking points about the insurrection at the White House.

In an interview with conservative host Guy Benson, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) was asked if he thinks President Donald Trump lost the election. Scott was willing to say that President-elect Joe Biden is the president to be and that he won the election. But that's where things broke down. Scott tried to accuse Biden of talking out of both sides of his mouth where he says he wants unity while calling Capitol insurrectionists terrorists. He went on to say that Trump never told anyone at the rally to break into the Capitol.

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Capitol insurrectionists probably had inside help from GOP staff: MSNBC analyst

On Tuesday's edition of MSNBC's "Deadline: White House," analyst Jason Johnson speculated that the perpetrators of the Capitol invasion could have had inside help from Republican legislative staff.

"Every single local judiciary that can find cases or crimes committed by Trump or any member of his family needs to sue them and make this country so unpleasant that they want to leave," said Johnson. "And then with Congress, this Parler cache, that's going to be the liberal's version of WikiLeaks, because I promise we're going to end up finding out that some low-level staffer or member of Congress was probably giving this kind of inside information and anyone, anyone who has been connected to this kind of work should be purged."

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Liz Cheney becomes highest-ranking Republican to announce she'll vote to impeach Trump

On Tuesday, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), the third-highest ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, announced she would vote to impeach outgoing President Donald Trump for his role in inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

"There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution," said Cheney in a statement.

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McConnell is 'furious' with Trump and 'hates' him for Capitol insurrection: CNN's Jim Acosta

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is reportedly livid at Donald Trump over the failed insurrection by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol.

Shortly after The New York Times reported McConnell is "pleased" with impeachment as it would help purge the GOP of Trump, CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta reported more details on the fraying relationship between the to top Republicans.

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Justice Department charges man who threatened to 'kill any Democrat' who attends Biden's inauguration

A Chicago man was arrested this Tuesday after he threatened to kill Democrats who attend Joe Biden's inauguration, POLITICO reports.

The Justice Department announced that Louis Capriotti, 45, left a voicemail for a House member on Dec. 29, saying that if people "think that Joe Biden is going to put his hand on the Bible and walk into that f----ng White House on Jan. 20, they're sadly f----ng mistaken."

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‘I will vote to impeach this president’: Republican officially backs Trump’s impeachment

As backlash continues to grow against Donald Trump for inciting sedition, a central New York Republican is officially joining the impeachment bandwagon.

"U.S. Rep. John Katko said today he will vote to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting a riot last week at the U.S. Capitol. Katko, R-NY, is the first House Republican to acknowledge that he will join at least 218 House Democrats who signed onto an impeachment resolution. A vote is expected Wednesday, a week before President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office," the Syracuse Post-Standard reported Tuesday.

The newspaper quoted a statement from the Republican lawmaker.

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